From minibus away days to Wembley: The story of Tottenham's remarkable journey to the Women's FA Cup Final
Having only become a fully professional team in 2019, Tottenham Hotspur Women now face Manchester United in the FA Cup Final on May 12 - and their route to Wembley tells a remarkable story
With Tottenham Hotspur's rich history tradition in the FA Cup, it would be all too easy to overlook just what an astonishing achievement it was when Martha Thomas' dramatic extra-time strike sent the women's team to Wembley.
Spurs lifted the men's FA Cup for the first time way back in 1901 as a non-league club and remain the only such outfit to do so in the history of the grand old competition. That they have won the FA Cup seven more times since - albeit the last time was 33 years ago - might cause some to look past the significance of Robert Vilahamn leading the women's team to the showpiece final next month.
Mentioning that 1901 triumph as a non-league side is very deliberate because Tottenham Hotspur Women only became a fully professional team just five years ago. They started life in 1985 as Broxbourne Ladies, co-founded by friends Kay Lovelock and Sue Sharples, who had become frustrated in their attempts to find somewhere for girls to play football.
Glenn Weaver soon came on board and as chairman was a driving force in getting permission from Spurs to use the name Tottenham Hotspur Ladies in 1991. When Glenn passed away, his sister Valerie and June Clarke, one of the player's parents, carried on his legacy.
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